Folding ironing board



E. E. FOSTER FOLDING IRONING BOARD Dec, 15, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMay 10, 1949 INVENTOR. Edwin E. Fos r BY I I Atty IiW Dec. 15, 1953 E.E. FOSTER FOLDING IRONING BOARD Filed May 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z3,9 7 l8 2/ Q 5 INVENTOR.

Eziw'n E Foster- 30 BY W Dec. 15, 1953 E. E. FOSTER 2,662,318

FOLDING IRONING BOARD Filed May 10, 1945 4 Sheet-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR. iEcZwL-n 5.1 06531- Patented Dec. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,662,318 FOLDING IRONING BOARD Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex.

Application May 10, 1949, Serial No. 92,345

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to a folding ironing board and iron mountor unit in which the ironing board is foldable and the iron mount andiron is a separate unit applicable to the ironing board to be removabletherefrom.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ironing boardwith legs pivotally mounted to a base and to the board which togetherform a parallelogram movement so that the board may be shiftedhorizontally relative to the operator. A further object of the inventionresides in the provision of means on the base to limit the movement ofthe board horizontally in its extreme limits of movement in bothdirections. A still further object of the invention resides in theprovision of means to mount an iron on the base to movably support theiron over the board and to counterbalance the iron. Also the limit stopsfor the horizontal movement of the board include means auto maticallyreleasable when the board and frame are tilted on the floor by actuatinga trigger mechanism to permit the board and frame with the legs to befolded in a flat configuration.

Another object of the invention resides in a base member for the iron tonot only support a post for the iron but also to hold the iron and armwhen not in use.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ironing board and its supportingstructure or frame,

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the directionof the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 in the direction ofthe arrows,

Fig. 4 is a bottom elevation showing the board in the folded positionand taken in the plane of line 45 of Fig. 5 in the direction of thearrows,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the board in the folded position andtaken in the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 6 is a side view partly in section of a detail of the holding stop,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the holding stop taken in the plane of line'i'i of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the frame,

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the iron support and base,

Fig. 10 is a side view of the iron support,

' Fig. 11 is an end view of the iron support,

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the ironing board and its supporttogether with the iron support, and

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the iron support in its stored or nonoperative position.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 and 12 any suitable type of ironing board 2may be used and'this board may be made of Wood or metal such asstainless steel, aluminum, or any other metal or alloy. This board 2is'supported by a pair of preferably tubular legs '3 and A pivotallymounted on a rod 5, Fig. 4, in a cross brace 6 at the pivot points I,and a third tubular leg 8 pivotally secured at 9 to the underside of theboard 2. A U-shaped base frame It also of tubular construction has thelegs 3 and i pivotally connected thereto at H and I2 respectively andthe leg 8 is pivotally connected to the frame 19 at l3. As seen in Figs.2 and 4 the legs 3 and l may be provided with tubular cross braces 29suitably secured such as by welding to the legs. All of the pivotedconnections 7, 9, ll, l2 and 13 are for the purpose to permit the board!to be shifted laterally from the full line position Fig. 12 to the dashline position M so that an operator may sit before the ironing board andat the same time reach the entire top area of the board without gettingup or shifting positions by merely adjusting the board 2 longitudinally.Furthermore the pivotal connections permit the board and legs to befolded into the position of Fig. 5, as will be described.

In order to limit the movement of the iron ing board 2 relative to thebase Ill, a latch or holding stop member I5 is secured at one end to theleg 8 and the other end to the base frame II] at It, Fig. 12. Figs. 6 to8 illustrate the spe cific structure of the holding stop member on anenlarged scale. A piston rod i1 is provided at one end with an eyemember i3 and a piston l9 at the other end acting as an abutment. Thepiston rod l'i reciprocates in a cylinder 2t! pivotally mounted by a pinor bolt 25 on ears 22 secured on the frame 10.

Movement of the piston to the left in the cylinder is limited byengagement of the piston with the left end of the cylinder. Movement ofthe piston to the right is limited by a latch member 23 in the form of ayoke pivoted on the pin 2| and having a crosspiece 2B movable through anopening 2'! in the cylinder into the path of movement of the piston. Aspring 28 connected to the latch member and the end of the cylinderurges the latch number inward to its latching position.

To release the latch for folding of the board an operating lever ortrigger 24 is provided pivoted at 25 on the base frame Ill. One end ofthe lever 24 fits into an opening in the latch member 23 which is spacedto one side of the pivot pin 2! as shown in Figure 8. When the latch isswung in to its latching position the lever 24 will be swung outwardfrom the base frame as shown in Figure 12. When the lever 24 is pressed:in toward the 'base ;frame it will swing the latch away ir m theylinder and 9 1 of the path of the piston so that the frame can befolded.

The frame II] is also provided with a short projecting socket member 29,Fig. 1-, which receives the iron mount 30, Figs. 9 to 13,,:and. thismount is provided with a depending pin 3| adapted to fit into the socketas shown @in' Fig. 12. The mount 30 is provided with a top surface 32having a depressed portion 33 into which an iron 34 fits and rests whenthe mount and its iron are in a non-ironing or storedposition as shownin'FigplB. "Iheiron'fl is mounted and secured to an articulated arm 35which isillustrated and described inmy co-pending application .SerialNo. eeasra, filed May 13, 1,946. now

abandoned.

The iron mount 30 is also provided with an upstanding tubular column ortube '36 into which a spindle 31 of the arm 35 ,may be inserted, .Fig.'12. In the position of :Fig. 12 the variousparts and sectionsare 'setup-ready for ironing but-the assembly 'ShOWniIlfFlg. 1'3 illustratesthe-iron 'withits arm oand'the mount adjusted'in position'to' be storedaway.

.As described and illustrated in the said copending application the arm3-5 ;is 1 preferably two parts 38 and'39 pivoted at Wand also pivoted tothe spindle 31. 'The :arm is provided with means'to counterbalance thearm and-iron as shown in'the said co-pendir g application.

As to the operation of the board -2 and "its use as well as'themannerw-hich it can be folded, it is :quite clear 'from the drawings andthe description as jto'how ithe'variousparts -operate and function. Asallieady' pointed out the board is particularly'nseful in ironing withthe operatorseated on the far side of the b'oar'd in the position shownin 12. 'Asthe'boa-rdis longitudinally movable, "that is parallel :to-:the

longitudinal axis of the board, "by moving the board'between the fulland dash glines the ntire board may be reached 'by the operator. Thelatch shown inFigs.-6 and? limits the movement of theboard.

When the operator is through withthe ironing, the board maybefoldediflat'to the Position shown in Figs. 4 and fand the iron with itsmount assembled in the position of "Fig. 13 so that both. sectionsmaybestoredaway'in a minimum of space. In folding arrd packingthe'ironmount it is merely necessaryitolift the pin 3l out of the tubularpost.36, Figs.;I 2-and; l3, and place the pin 31 in tneperforation T56in the base portion 30 with the .iron're tinsin iith fi Dressed ,portion133. The .entire assem le fir-0. and mount may now be ,liftedout of. the"hole 29, .Fi La d-lifted :irom the pipe section "in. In .folding the.board vfrom the po ition .of .iE 12 theleft end of the 'boardm v baraisdwi h the right ,end .frame {Ill bearing. on [the Ifloor so that .whenthe .latch trip lever 24 .touc'hes t he floor thelatch will be=releasedn,thatthe various parts .-.will foldtogether ,intogthe position of Figs.4 and 5. P i i 13mm 5-.are now ,readyitobe The sections shown .in (the.

4 stored away and it will be noted that the board of Fig. 5 will take upvery little room.

I claim as my invention:

1. A support for ironing board comprising a U-shaped base frame adaptedto rest on a floor, a pair of legs having cross braces and pivotallyconnected at one end to one arm of the frame on axes parallel to thearm, a single leg pivotally imounted at one.:end to -the-f rame adjacentto its other am. 23 1 ironing board pivotaliy connected on the otherends of the legs on axes transverse r its length for longitudinalshifting movement relative to base frame, and relatively movableelements connected to the frame and one of the legs and havinginterengaging parts thereon to limit their relative movement thereby tolimit longitudinal shifting of the board.

2. ,A support for an ironing board according to claim 1, in which thebasev frame and legs are composed of tubular members.

'3. A support for an ironing board according to claim '1, in which oneof said interengaging parts is mounted for movement out of the path ofanother so that the board maybe folded relative to the base frameand'the legs.

4. A support for an ironing board according to claim 3, in which thelatch is provided with a trigger on the base frame positioned to engagethe-floor and operate the latch when the base frame is tilted.

5, A support for an ironing board comprising a base adapted to rest on afioor,*leg members pivoted on the base at longitudinally spaced pointsthereon on axes-transverse to the base, an ironing board parallel to'thebase and pivoted on the other ends of the'legs on spacedaxes-transverse-to its lengthforlongitudinal shifting relative-to thebase, a pair of slidably interfitting elongated members connected tothebase and one of the leg members respectively for free longitudinalsliding relative to each other as the board shifts relative to the base,and spaced interengaging parts on the elongated members to limit therelative longitudinal sliding thereof thereby to limit said shifting ofthe board.

6, The construction of claim 5 in which one of the-parts is retractableto an ineffective position, a spring normally urging said one of theparts to-its 'efiective position and operating means to move said one ofthe parts to its ineffective position.

-7 -*The construction of claim'5 in which one of the parts isretractable'to an ineffective position, a spring "normally urging saidone of theparts to its effective position and an operating lever pivotedon the base'to engage the floor when the base is tilted to'move said oneof the parts to its ineffective position.

a, -A su port'for an ironing board comprising a'base adapted to rest onafloor, leg members pivoted on the base at longitudinally spaced pointsthereon on axestransverseto the base, an ironing board parallel'to thebase .and pivoted onthe other ends of the legs on spacedaxes transverseto its length for longitudinal shifting relative to the base, atelescopically interfitting cylinder and plunger connected to thebaseand one of the leg members respectively for free relative slidingmovement as the board shifts relative to the base, and stop parts in thecylinder engageable with the plunger to limit relative sliding thereofthereby to 1,imit shiftin of the board.

'9. A support for an ironing board comprising a base ada tedtc .rest on.a floor, leg members pivoted on the base at lon itu inally .spacedpoints thereon on axes transverse to the base, an ironing board parallelto the base and pivoted on the other ends of the legs on spaced axestransverse to its length for longitudinal shifting relative to the base,a telescopically interfitting cylinder and plunger connected to the baseand one of the leg members respectively for free relative slidingmovement as the board shifts relative to the base, and stop parts in thecylinder engageable with the plunger to limit relative sliding thereofthereby to limit shifting of the board, means mounting one of the stopparts on the cylinder for movement to an ineffective position, andoperating means to retract said one of the stop parts.

10. A support for an ironing board comprising a base adapted to rest ona floor, leg members pivoted on the base at longitudinally spaced pointsthereon on axes transverse to the base, an ironing board parallel to thebase and pivoted on the other ends of the legs on spaced axes transverseto its length for longitudinal shifting relative to the base, atelescopically interfitting cylinder and plunger connected to the baseand one of the leg members respectively for free relative slidingmovement as the board shifts relative to the base, and stop parts in thecylinder engageable with the plunger to limit relative sliding thereofthereby to limit shifting of the board, means mounting one of the stopparts on the cylinder for movement away from the cylinder to anineffective position, a spring urging said one of the stop parts towardthe cylinder to its effective position, and an operating lever on thebase engageable with the floor when the base is tilted to move said oneof the stop parts to its inefiective position.

EDWIN E. FOSTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 923,117 Detwiler May 25, 1909 982,093 Russ Jan. 17, 1911998,988 Reynolds July 25, 1911 1,071,961 Shorter Sept. 2, 1913 1,098,333Sargent May 26, 1914 1,584,377 Johnson May 11, 1926 2,209,194 DeutschJuly 23, 1940 2,231,895 Foster Feb. 18, 1941 2,345,251 Foster Mar. 28,1944 2,369,732 Foster Feb. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date466,512 Germany Oct. 8, 1928

